The Seductive Pretender: Sister-in-Law is Turning Gay - Chapter 6

Chapter 6: I Can Go at Night.

Zhong Manjing woke up from a nap around eight o’clock. She reached toward the bedside but couldn’t find the shark clip from yesterday. She didn’t mind; she got up, washed her face, brushed her teeth, and headed to the rooftop with disheveled hair to water her small vegetable garden.

Another batch of chili peppers was ripe, and the sweet potato leaves needed picking before they grew too tough. The bean vines had wound around the support sticks, hanging down like curtains. There were several pots of fast-growing greens ready for harvest as well. Zhong Manjing’s rooftop garden was entirely self-sufficient; when she couldn’t finish the produce, she would give it to the neighbors.

Homegrown food always tasted freshest, and everyone loved it. Every morning, Zhong Manjing would pluck a handful of whatever was available. Today, she only took two lemons.

As the bread dough went into the oven, Zhong Manjing saw Su Yun returning to the courtyard, holding a small bouquet of dried flowers. The stems were tied with a ribbon, looking quite exquisite.

Su Yun was beaming as she sniffed the bouquet. “It smells so good! I didn’t know these pink Lychee Roses would look so beautiful as dried flowers. Now I don’t even have to water them. Little Lin is truly thoughtful.”

Zhong Manjing heard her. “Sister Su, where did those come from?”

“Oh, Manjing, you’re up? Little Lin gave this to me just now at her shop. Everyone got one! Liu Ru, Brother Li, Feng Feng, and Brother Zhang everyone.”

They were all merchants on this street. Zhong Manjing realized those flowers were from the opening basket she had sent the other day.

Su Yun added, “Little Lin said these were made from that big bouquet you sent for the opening. They’ve been drying for a few days. Where’s yours?”

“I didn’t get one,” Zhong Manjing said with a small smile. Her fingers squeezed the other half of a lemon on the cutting board. Ah, this scent is certainly sour.

She sliced the lemon and soaked it in water. Without adding any honey, she drank it down with a straight face.

Su Xiaodong ran in, also clutching a dried bouquet. He looked up at Zhong Manjing on the balcony and chirped, “Sister Manjing, look!”

Zhong Manjing’s expression softened. “Is that for me?”

“No, Sister Yuqing said this one is for me! The one my mom got is for the shop, so this one can go in my room.” Su Xiaodong bragged happily, gently and carefully waving the flowers back and forth.

Zhong Manjing said, “I baked fragrant European bread this morning. Since you definitely already had breakfast at Sister Lin Yuqing’s, I guess I’ll just have to eat this delicious bread and drink sweet milk all by myself. How nice.”

“Sister Manjing! I want to eat! My stomach still has room! Sister Manjing, don’t go!”

The little guy was practically drooling, but Zhong Manjing went back inside to check on the bread, leaving the balcony.

Su Xiaodong paced the yard in a panic, but he wouldn’t dare go up without permission.

Back inside, Zhong Manjing thought about the bouquet she had ordered. It could be split into many small bundles, yet she hadn’t received a single petal.

The room was filled with the aroma of baking bread. She picked up a leftover chewy mochi to eat, followed by a glutinous rice ball, and gave a self-satisfied huff. Then she heard Su Xiaodong calling her again.

This little guy’s stomach was truly a bottomless pit. Zhong Manjing decided to tease him, saying arrogantly as she walked out, “You want a bite? If you want to eat, you have to give me those flowers to look at, or I won’t give you—”

Her gaze fell below, and her words stopped mid-sentence.

Su Xiaodong was leaning against Lin Yuqing, looking up with a grin. “Sister Manjing, I wanted to tell you that a guest is here to see you.”

Lin Yuqing stood below, holding a bouquet of dried flowers and waving them slightly toward Zhong Manjing with a faint smile. “The flowers are here.”

Her fingers gripped the stems. Zhong Manjing noticed that what was tied around the bouquet wasn’t a ribbon, but her own hair tie that had been missing for days.

It wasn’t just the flowers that were here, Zhong Manjing thought as her smile widened; the rabbit had come to her.

“Come up, Boss Lin.” She gestured to Lin Yuqing. “Take the stairs over there. How do you have time to come by? Isn’t the shop busy?”

“Xiao Ying is helping at the shop. I came out to deliver flowers.” Once she reached the top, Lin Yuqing handed the bouquet to Zhong Manjing. “These are the pink Lychee Roses you sent. I made a bouquet out of the best ones. Underneath is your hair tie; Meng Luo told me to return it.”

Lin Yuqing actually felt a bit hesitant about what she was about to say. She found it hard to open her mouth in front of Zhong Manjing. She pulled a thermos out of a bag she had been carrying. “Your pickles are very tasty. Let me pay you for them. Also, this is the rich tomato soup you’ve been wanting; I brought some for you.”

She then pulled out several takeout containers containing the other five types of toppings. “I brought the others too. If you like to mix them, go ahead.”

Zhong Manjing nodded, took the flowers, and placed them in a vase in the living room. She used the hair tie to pull her hair into a messy bun, then returned to the sofa. She brought a glass of bayberry and lychee syrup for Lin Yuqing and sat down casually on the rug.

“Lin Yuqing, so you can speak in full sentences.” Zhong Manjing arched an eyebrow. “I thought you didn’t want to talk to me anymore.”

She was wearing a camisole and shorts printed with small strawberries; her skin looked exceptionally pale. Lin Yuqing didn’t drink the syrup. Her gaze swept over Zhong Manjing’s slender neck before she stood up and said, “I’m sorry. I was too harsh that day. I was worried and panicked. I only figured things out these past few days.”

Zhong Manjing looked up as Lin Yuqing looked down; the height difference was significant. After a few seconds of eye contact, Zhong Manjing suddenly laughed.

She didn’t move, but suddenly reached out her hand. Lin Yuqing thought she wanted help standing up and leaned down slightly. Instead, Zhong Manjing used the position to gently pat Lin Yuqing’s neck.

That was the carotid artery—the source of life. For a moment, Lin Yuqing felt as if her life were in Zhong Manjing’s hands. But in the next second, Zhong Manjing blinked her beautiful eyes, looking completely innocent.

It seemed like nothing more than an inconsequential gesture of comfort. Zhong Manjing curved her lips. “Lin Yuqing, drink some syrup. Don’t be so tense. Have you had breakfast? The bread is almost done. Stay and eat with me?”

Lin Yuqing breathed a sigh of relief and sat back down, remembering her purpose. “I won’t eat breakfast. Besides the flowers, I came to give you the money. The pickles have been selling very well these past few days.”

Zhong Manjing shifted lazily, resting her elbow on the sofa to prop up her head. “Lin Yuqing, I like making those. I won’t take money. Didn’t we say that if you took them, you’d cook me noodles as a reward? You helped me with my clothes before and saved me at the pool; this is just us giving and taking. If you bring money into it, it means you’re still mad at me.”

She looked up, her lashes long. “By the way, how many days has it been since I last went over?”

Lin Yuqing said, “Today is the fifth day. I thought you said you’d come for breakfast every day.”

Zhong Manjing smiled. “So you remember that clearly.” She pointed to the thermos. “Since you brought the soup yourself, cook a bowl of noodles for me here, okay? I’m starving.”

Without realizing the topic had been diverted, Lin Yuqing immediately got up and headed to the kitchen. Zhong Manjing followed and handed her the syrup. Lin Yuqing took a big gulp.

It was sweet and tart. The lychees inside had been frozen into ice, their sweetness perfectly melting into the bayberry juice.

“Just cook a portion for me. You should try the bread I made; I’ve been baking for ages.” Zhong Manjing was delighted. She leaned in from behind Lin Yuqing and whispered, “Don’t worry. I have many things to cherish. I won’t throw my life away.”

Her shallow breath brushed gently against Lin Yuqing’s ear. Lin Yuqing didn’t pull away, but paused before asking, “Brother Li said you had a cold. Was it because you didn’t dry off in time that day?”

“Mm, no. Maybe it’s just because I woke up early and have a stuffy voice,” Zhong Manjing answered casually. “I asked Xiao Ying and she said you start work at 6:30. Usually, I don’t wake up that early. I’m so sleepy.”

Lin Yuqing said, “You should still eat breakfast before taking a nap.”

“Lin Yuqing…” Zhong Manjing was right beside her, turning her head so her chin was almost resting on Lin Yuqing’s shoulder. Her voice was like a kitten’s. “Do you start nagging whenever you feel you’ve done something wrong?”

Lin Yuqing’s head didn’t move, her eyes fixed on the pot. “No.”

Zhong Manjing lowered her head and laughed, stopping her teasing. By the time Lin Yuqing brought out the tomato noodles, Zhong Manjing was plating three freshly baked soft European breads. They were larger than two palms put together and clearly stuffed with fillings.

They were plump and round.

Lin Yuqing pushed the noodle bowl toward Zhong Manjing. “You eat.”

Zhong Manjing pushed the bread and the bayberry drink toward Lin Yuqing. “After you.”

Lin Yuqing finally couldn’t help but smile and took a bite. As she expected, beneath the soft crust was a rich filling mochi, dried cranberries, raisins, pineapple slices, and moist honey beans created a sweet, complex, and chewy texture. The wheat aroma of the bread harmonized perfectly with the fruit; chewing slowly revealed layers of flavor. Within the fluffy air pockets, every bite was rich with cocoa powder, like a softened chocolate crust.

It was so soft yet substantial. Lin Yuqing had come in a hurry and hadn’t eaten breakfast; now she took one bite after another, followed by a sip of the icy bayberry-lychee drink. She felt this trip was exceptionally worth it.

Worried her eating habits might be too much, she glimpsed Zhong Manjing also buried in her noodles, so she felt at ease to finish the rest in small bites.

Zhong Manjing was also hungry and finished the noodles quickly. She looked up and asked, “Want some sweet milk?”

“I can’t eat another bite.” Lin Yuqing put the last piece in her mouth. “I ate a whole one; my stomach is full. You’re so talented at both baking and pickling. I originally thought…” She suddenly felt that the rest of her sentence might be a bit impolite to say to her face, even if she didn’t mean it that way.

Zhong Manjing asked, “Thought what? Tell me, I won’t be mad.”

Lin Yuqing smiled, feeling a bit embarrassed. “I originally thought you were some kind of pampered young lady.”

Even though she had appeared in this small town, her mannerisms, her way of doing things, and her aura all suggested she had been raised in luxury.

She glowed, wherever she went.

“There are many things I can’t do, like cooking noodles or making toppings,” Zhong Manjing shook her head. She got up to get parchment paper from the kitchen and wrapped the remaining cocoa mochi bread into two portions. She also took out three pre-wrapped brown sugar rice cake bagels and placed them in the thermos bag Lin Yuqing had brought.

“This portion of bagels and bread is for you. Take this one to Dongdong when you go out; he’s been craving it for a long time. Don’t refuse—I made these for you anyway.” Zhong Manjing didn’t give Lin Yuqing a chance to argue, counting on her fingers. “Let’s see. You’ve paid me back one bowl of noodles, so you still owe me four. I’ve treated you to bread at my house, so eventually, I’ll have to go to your house for noodles.”

Lin Yuqing said, “No… you can eat at the shop.” She frowned and added, “Where I live is very hot. It’s not good.”

“Hot? Then I can go at night. It’s cooler at night.” As Zhong Manjing handed the handle of the insulated bag to Lin Yuqing, her fingertip brushed lightly against Lin Yuqing’s palm. “Are you still going to say it’s hot? Then I can go at 3:00 AM. It’s even cooler then.”

Lin Yuqing couldn’t tell if she was serious or joking. She frowned slightly. “I’m being serious.”

“Didn’t you say you thought I was a pampered young lady?” Zhong Manjing looked up, her gaze moving from Lin Yuqing’s eyes to her nose, then her chin, her lips, and finally back to her eyes. She smiled and said, “Then humor me a little, okay?”

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